Utvärdering av ergonomisimulering

Abstract

Poor ergonomics results in huge costs and problems in the industry, and companies have much to gain by reducing the problems. Software that can visualize and analyze ergonomic problems has been around for a while and has undergone a great development in recent years. The aim of this thesis has been to evaluate how well ergonomic simulation works today and if it is possible to detect and prevent ergonomic problems with the help of ergonomic simulation.

IPS IMMA from the Fraunhofer Chalmers Center and Process Simulate Human from Siemens have been evaluated with regards to, ease of use, analysis methods, additional functions and possibilities with the programs. The sequence that was simulated was a tool change of a multioperation machine where operators at the station previously have experienced ergonomic problems.

The result of the work has shown that it is possible to create realistic simulations that can demonstrate problems in the design of workplaces and with that information it is possible improve the ergonomics for workers in manual workstations. It has also shown that it is a time consuming process to optimize these types of simulations when they are created manually. A better alternative to generate this type of simulations is by using Motion Capture which makes it easier to generate more accurate movements. It is also important that the user collaborates with ergonomists and has good knowledge about the different analysis methods to ensure that the results are reliable.